Maximize your Chops and Lifts by following this expert instruction on how to perform the exercise properly and vary your setup for targeting specific problem areas with precision. Chop and Lift corrective exercises have been a FMS staple for years - with good reason. Lee Burton covers the important considerations in selecting and performing variations of the Chop and Lift. Proper half-kneeling setup is key and aligning yourself with a board (around 4”) will help with consistency. Both knees should be bent at 90 degrees, with the front knee aligned over the ankle and the back knee aligned under the hip, shoulder and ear. The back toe should be in line with its leg and pointed if the goals are improved hip stability and core stability. There should be no spinal flexion or extension. Use the Functional Movement Screen to determine if you need to focus on half-kneeling or tall-kneeling exercises, for example: lunge asymmetry points to half-kneeling whereas squat problems point to the symmetry of tall kneeling. Common mistakes are not performing distinct pull and push movements and working toward the wrong knee: chop to the down knee and lift to the up knee. To vary the effectiveness of the exercise, you can alter your angle from the source of resistance: Start at 45 degrees, 90 degrees over your shoulder provides core engagement and works the anterior structures and 90 toward the resistance works the posterior structures. Hand position also matters, with a narrow grip providing more work for the upper body (PNF patterns) and a wide grip maximizing core engagement.
The Motor Control Flow is a practical starting point for individuals who need to correct balance and stability problems. In this case, Lee Burton shows an asymmetry on the Motor Control Screen (MCS). It works great as a warm-up or cool-down addition to existing programming. Gray Cook explains how a path differs from an exercise by providing an obstacle course that often includes struggles and minimal coaching resulting in awareness of movement imbalances and asymmetries. The Motor Control Flow is a three-station progression using a half-foam roll. The A (Awareness) station is a flat-back on-beam exploration of rotational stability and stride. The B (Breathing) station is a crawl-to-kneel pattern that syncs the breath while working the extremes of horizontal-to-vertical postures. The C (Control) station is a kneeling stride that syncs the breath with full body and oppositional movement. Functional Movement Systems’ Movement Flows are quick movement progressions that serve as starting points and gather information on where you stand in relation to your health and wellness goals. Before we can correct our movement through exercise and activity, we need to reinstall an awareness of what it feels like to move authentically. The Movement Flows are deceptively simple screening and corrective tools that will work in many situations, especially when used in conjunction with the Functional Movement Screen. If the flow cannot be completed, the individual has found an area that needs correction and should work there until the flow feels natural. If the flow can be completed, the individual should practice, paying greater attention to asymmetries and sticking points and continue as long as they feel and see benefits.
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